Ocean View district, teachers enter fact-finding stage of impasse

Health insurance benefits continue to be the sticking point between the Ocean View School District and its teachers as the contract dispute reaches the fact-finding stage.

After two mediation sessions, the deadlock moves to a fact-finding panel that will parse through financial records from both sides to reach a solution.

"We're willing to settle," said Susan Lopez, president of the Ocean View Educators' Association. "We're at a point where we can each move a step."

The district has offered to pay a $500 increase in medical costs and a one-time bonus of $1,000. The offer states the issue will not be renegotiated next year.

Lopez thinks teachers have a right to renegotiate every year as medical costs increase.

"Our members are willing to do what's right," she said. "The part about taking away our rights — that's not right. It's time to build bridges, not tear them apart."

The teachers union is requesting a $1,500 one-time bonus. Under the previous contract, the district was paying about $1,500 beyond a specified cap in medical benefits.

Because of budget uncertainties, Superintendent Craig Helmstedter said, the current offer stands.

"The district has grave concerns offering additional concessions when we're making cuts and letting people go," he said.

According to Lopez, the difference between offers from both parties is $61,000, an amount she thinks is small considering the district's $4.6 million in reserves.

"With that kind of money in reserves, it should be going back to students and teachers," Lopez said.

Helmstedter said that with district payroll at $1.6 million, the amount in reserves is less than three months' worth of payroll. There also are budget cuts ahead to ponder, Helmstedter noted.

"Even with making the necessary cuts, we would burn through that $4.6 million in the next two years based on deficit spending," he said. "From my perspective, the district has done very well with some kind of classroom size reduction, no layoffs and no furloughs this year. It's unlikely we'll be able to sustain that."

There are 120 members of the teacher's union in the four-school district, according to Helmstedter.

Last month, the teachers union gave Helmstedter a vote of no confidence. Lopez said 87 percent of union members cast the no-confidence vote.

"The message we want to send is that people are unhappy with the leadership style," Lopez said. "The teachers and the district have always been able to work together before. We need to re-establish a relationship where people feel valued."